


I'll give you what you've never dared to wish for

by Onlythegodsarereal



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Building a family, Christmas Fluff, Javert being soft, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Marius being a noodle, Minor Cosette Fauchelevent/Marius Pontmercy, texts, voice mail
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-16
Updated: 2018-12-16
Packaged: 2019-09-19 21:14:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17009325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Onlythegodsarereal/pseuds/Onlythegodsarereal
Summary: “I don’t understand how could you accept to organise Christmas lunch on your own while your father is on holiday on the other side of the country.”“Papa’s not on holiday and he didn’t leave me alone.”“Oh, yes, of course. He left you with his new boyfriend whom, I’ll never mention enough, you don like,” pressed Eponine, but another sound made clear she had been violently removed from the phone.“That’s simply not true,” said Cosette patiently waiting for the fight clearly happening at the other side of the line to end.Christmas is a little different this year in the Valjean's household, but if Javert has learned something in his life is that from change can always blossom something beautiful.





	I'll give you what you've never dared to wish for

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Darkhorse](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Darkhorse/gifts).



23rd December

“I can’t believe you’re letting your father doing this to you.”

The voice of Eponine interrupted Marius’ at the other end of the line revealing that Cosette had been on speaker the whole time.

“Hi Ponine,” she said amused by her friend overreaction to her Christmas plans.

“Don’t listen to her, she’s just being grumpy,” countered Marius and Cosette could hear a shuffling sound that probably meant that Eponine had protested physically.

“I’m not grumpy,” Eponine stressed annoyed. “I don’t understand how could you accept to organise Christmas lunch on your own while your father is on holiday on the other side of the country.”

“Papa’s not on holiday and he didn’t leave me alone.”

“Oh, yes, of course. He left you with his new boyfriend whom, I’ll never mention enough, you don like,” pressed Eponine, but another sound made clear she had been violently removed from the phone.

“That’s simply not true,” said Cosette patiently waiting for the fight clearly happening at the other side of the line to end.

She had just arrived back home from some last-minute grocery shopping. She put down her bags and started rummaging in her purse for the keys.

“Of course, that it’s not true. No one ever suggested that you don’t like him, especially not me. Especially not to Eponine, I don’t know how she could have developed such an idea,” stammered Marius who must have miraculously won the fight for the phone. Cosette rolled her eyes and pushed the door open with her shoulder.

“Javert, it’s me!” She warned while entering the kitchen.

“You don’t even call him by name!” Noted Eponine.

“He asked her to, he doesn’t like his first name,” explained Marius.

“That’s weird.”

“A little,” conceded Cosette balancing the phone on one shoulder while taking off her coat and scarf. “Not my place to judge though nor yours.”

“He tried to arrest your father,” pressed Eponine with decision eliciting a sound of protest from Marius.

“And that’s why, at first, I was maybe a little sceptic about this relationship but everything turned out fine,” Cosette explained searching for someplace in the fridge for the milk.

“You just don’t like him because he’s a policeman,” Marius noted clearly speaking to Eponine.

“Listen, Cosette can play the perfectly happy daughter for as long as she likes, but we both know her and we both know that she is not perfectly happy in this situation.”

“Ponine, I’m ok, really. Is it kind of a weird situation? Yes. Am I still trying to understand how I feel about Javert? A little. But I’m happy that for once it won’t be just me and Papa at Christmas and that the house will be full of people who love and appreciate him as much as I do.”

“That was really beautiful, Cosette,” Marius commented adoringly making Cosette blush slightly.

Eponine grunted.

“Do as you want, then. If you need an escape plan just send a text,” she said defeated before closing the call.

“Well, goodbye then,” she said sarcastically before putting down her phone.

“Was that your father?” Javert asked appearing suddenly in the kitchen and Cosette almost jumped for the surprise.

Javert was usually pretty stealth, probably because of his job as a policeman, and sometimes Cosette couldn’t tell if he was still at home or not.

“No, no, they were two friends of mine. Actually, I haven’t heard from Papa since this morning. I should probably call him.”

“Yeah, I haven’t heard from him too today,” he said while his eyes stayed focused on the grocery’s bags on the table, but even if he used his usual neutral tone Cosette could tell that he was worried and maybe a little bit upset that his partner hadn’t found even a moment to send him a message.

Long-distance relationships must be so hard, thought Cosette feeling a bit of pity of the poor man.

“You know, he’s not having a lot of luck searching for his sister and he’s really focusing on that and…”

“Euphrasie, you don’t have to defend him. I’m not upset and even if I was your father should be the one to explain, not you, but there is no need for that. I understand that Jean is probably more focused on something else at the moment, it’s all right.”

It didn’t seem completely all right to Cosette, but she decided that not commenting on that was probably for the best.

“You don’t have to use my real name, you know,” she said instead, trying to transition to a lighter subject. “Everybody calls me Cosette anyway.”

“Don’t you like the name Euphrasie?” He asked confused.

“Of course I like it, my mother gave it to me, but I like Cosette too and everybody prefers it.”

“I think Euphrasie is a really beautiful name and if you like it you should use it more often,” he said before walking out of the kitchen.

Cosette remained alone with a bag of carrots in one hand a truly confused expression on her face.

 

“Hi, Jean.”

“Hi dear. I’m so sorry I haven’t let you know anything until now, I couldn’t find a place with connection all day.”

The sound arrived a little later than the imagines and Jean’s face was blurred but Javert couldn’t care less. He had missed him too much to complain.

“Don’t worry, it’s all right,” Javert said with what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

It was the truth, he repeated to himself, he wasn’t upset, he knew how important it was for Jean to find his sister and he didn’t care if he forgot about Javert for a while. I was not a problem. So why could he not help to feel a little bit like he was lying?

“I know you don’t get worried easily, but Cosette’s used to hear more from me when I’m away.”

“She was a bit worried actually, you should call her, we can talk to each other later.”

Javert wouldn’t have minded, of course. He knew how important Cosette was for Jean. He could wait.

“No, it’s ok. I texted to tell her that I’m all right. I want to speak with you now. Tell me how’s it going at home.”

And just like that all of Javert’s tension and worries were lifted from his shoulders. Jena was like that. He needed just a couple of words to make Javert feel like the world was a kinder place. It was so nice.

“Everything here is fine. We’re almost ready for Christmas Lunch and we already wrapped all the gifts, your daughter is really organised.”

“How is it going with Cosette?” He made it sound like a light question, nothing of great importance, but Javert knew him better than that. There were few things as important as Javert and Cosette getting along in Jean’s eyes.

“It’s going well. I’m not going to lie to you and tell that everything is perfect, but we talk and we help each other and we’re limiting the awkward silence which I think is a first good step in becoming more familiar with each other. She stays out a lot though, she has a lot of friends she has to visit before Christmas.”

“She has. Since she started university, she has made a lot of friends, I feel so guilty to have kept her away from the world for so long.”

“Don’t do that to yourself, you were protecting her. Tell me how the search for your sister is going,” Javert added before Jean could say something else about how he had been a terrible father. He did that sometimes, to Javert’s complete bafflement. From what he had witnessed and what he had heard from Cosette, Jean had been almost the perfect father figure. Better than Javert’s father for sure, not that that was much difficult to do. Jean, though, could always find some way in which he could have been better, he could always find some flaws on his person and some faults in his behaviour not only has a father but in every other aspect of his life. Javert felt guilty because he knew it was because of him and people like him that Jean thought that of himself.

It was because of that that Javert was trying so hard to become a better person, to think differently. He wanted to be better for Jean and the people around him. At the moment though, he was focused on encouraging Jean: the search for his sister wasn’t going well, his partner needed some cheer up and even if Javert had never considered himself the most joyful person, it seemed to be working. He was so proud of himself. He had the power to put a smile back on Jean’s face. If there was someone who deserved to smile more was Jean.

The smile was blurred and the image glitched quite often, but at the moment Javert could not think of a lovelier view.

Papa 22:34

Are you avoiding him?

Cosette 22:36

No!

Papa 22:36

Cosette.

Cosette 22:37

Did he say something?

Papa 22:38

No, he did not say that you were avoiding him. He just said that you’re out of the house quite of visiting friends and if it is true that the number of your friends is increased recently, I’m also quite sure that most of them are not in Paris of the holidays. I know because you complained about it for a month.

Cosette 22:39

I’m not avoiding him. Eponine is trying to organize the first Christmas day without her parents and she doesn’t want to let Gav and Zelma down

Cosette 22:40

And you know Marius always need some help to deal with his grandfather (especially during the holidays)

Cosette 22:41

And there is one of my new friends (Feuilly, I think you’ve met him) who works so much around this time of the year, I just wanted to make sure he was eating regularly and all that

Papa 22:43

Cosette, I wouldn’t be mad at you. I know I’m asking a lot to the both of you, I just want to know if you’re uncomfortable.

Cosette 22:44

I’m not, Papa, really. I’ll admit sometimes it can be a little awkward, but he’s nice and we even have some good laugh here and there. He loves you a lot

Cosette 22:44 Oh my! You already told each other that, right? It would be so embarrassing if I were the one telling “I love you” in his place for the first time

Papa 22:45

You don’t need to worry. I love him too. And I love you, you know this, right?

Cosette 22:46

You tell me just every day of my life. Love you too, so so so so so so much. Sleep well, Papa!

Papa 22:47

Have good dreams, my angel

 

24th December

The doorbell rang and Javert lifted his eyes from the newspaper he was reading to check the time: nine in the morning. It was pretty early for visitors. Especially for Christmas Eve. He stood up and walked to the door anyway. Outside there was a freckled boy, covered in what seemed at least ten layers of clothes and two scarves looking at him with two big eyes full of terror. Well, maybe not terror, but surely, he didn’t expect to see Javert and he seemed quite worried about his appearance.

“Yes?” Asked Javert in a voice he hoped had the right amount of intimidation. The boy stared at him in silence for a couple of seconds before realizing the other man had been talking to him and he was probably waiting for an answer.

“Hi! I’m… I’m Marius. I’m here for, uhm, Cosette, I mean! No, well, yes. Cosette asked me to come,” stuttered him becoming redder and redder at any new words.

“Marius!” Cosette exclaimed approaching before Javert could find anything to replay to whatever that had been. “Javert, this is Marius Pontmercy. He’s a friend of mine. Marius, this is Javert, he’s Papa’s boyfriend,” she said with a joyful smile and Javert didn’t miss how she was looking the boy still frozen outside the door.

“Boyfriend is a word you youngster use, but it’s a pleasure to finally meet one of Cosette’s friends.”

He had hoped for maybe someone less easily shook, but in the boy defence, he had, in fact, used his intimidating voice.

“It’s all my pleasure, Monsieur Javert. I was hoping to meet you actually. Not that Cosette talks a lot about you. I said that because of Monsieur Valjean. Not that Monsieur Valjean talks a lot about you, it’s just… uhm… who is in such a great esteem of Monsieur Valjean must be a great person. Uh, Monsieur Valjean doesn’t talk a lot in general.”

“Marius, I’m going to stop you right here. The cake for tonight it’s not going to cook itself,” said Cosette saving the poor boy to worsen his situation. He seemed really grateful.

“Are you cooking for tonight?” Javert asked curiously.

“Yes, Papa comes back today and I wanted to make something special and Marius is great at baking!” Cosette answered and her eyes travelled briefly towards Marius who was shredding from the one hundred layers he was wearing. Her eyes were so adoring Javert could not help but smile which he usually tried to avoid in front of strangers.

“Well, I’ll leave you to it then.” Then he noticed again the glances the two of them were exchanging. “I’ll be in the other room if you need anything.” He added to make clear that nothing that Jean would not allow was permitted. Not that he knew what Jean would allow about that specific subject. He was tempted to call him to ask, but he figured he was probably otherwise worried. He opted for a text instead. He didn’t like texting but that way Jean could have answered when he preferred.

J. 9:08

Should I allow Cosette and her friend Marius to be in the same room together without supervision?

Jean 9:12

Ahahah. I think that what my adult daughter does behind closed doors are her business and her business only and Marius is the sweetest and kindest men I’ve ever met (after you)

J. 9:14

Sometimes I forget that Cosette is an adult she seems so young. (You shouldn’t lie just to make me feel better about myself)

Jean 9:17

She is, but she’s big enough to make her own choices on every subject. It was hard for me to learn too, don’t worry (and I am not lying)

Jean 9:18

What are they doing alone in a room without supervision anyway?

J. 9:23

I have the strange feeling you’re making fun of me. They are baking a cake

Jean 9:25

I would never make fun of you. Is Cosette preparing a surprise dinner for me?

J. 9:26

No.

Jean 9:28

Who’s lying now? Now I have to go. I’ll call both of you later from the airport. Miss you

J. 9:28

All right. I miss you too

 

“Javert, would you like to help me make dinner?” Cosette asked almost timidly appearing in the leaving room.

“I’d love to. I thought you and Marius had already thought about it,” he answered putting down his book and following the young woman back in the kitchen.

“Oh no, Marius just helped me with the cake. I would have asked you to help me with that too, you know, but Marius needed a reason to get out of the house for a while: he promised his grandfather he would go to a Christmas Eve Lunch with all his rich friends and he always needs to distract himself a bit before going to those things.”

“You really care for him,” he noted non-committedly while starting peeling the potatoes Cosette had put in front of him.

“Marius is incredible and the best friend I could ask for,” she replayed with a tender smile on her lips.

“Is he just a friend?”

She blushed but didn’t lower her eyes nor lose her smile and just shook her head with an exaggerated disapproving look.

“Papa is such a gossip.”

“I have to admit that your father confirmed my suspicions, but it was difficult not to notice the glances you two were giving each other. You seem happy.”

“We are. Well, I am for sure,” she was still smiling but her light had dimmed a little and she had become excessively interested in the way she was cutting those potatoes.

“Is everything all right?” He asked after some seconds of silence. She probably didn’t want to talk with him of her personal problem, but her father wasn’t there and he was determined to provide her with all the comfort she was willing to accept.

“Yes, yes, it’s just some stupid thoughts,” she said with a forced smile before turning his focus back on the potatoes.

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, but if it is a thought that makes you upset, I’m sure it is not stupid.”

“Thank you. It’s not that it makes me upset, it’s more that… I don’t know, I feel a little insecure, that’s all.”

“Insecure being Marius girlfriend?” He asked trying to hide how incredulous he was. If anything, Marius should have been insecure being Cosette’s boyfriend.

“Yes, you know, Marius is such a great person. After his father died, he had this huge fight with his grandfather and he decided to go live on his own, without his family money and he worked to pay his studies while the only time I left this house was to go to study in a privet boarding school. And he has so many and lovely friends! I started making friends two years ago! Even at boarding school, I hadn’t all those friends. Sometimes I worry that he’ll figure out how boring I am and he will search for someone better.”

She talked fast in a frustrated tone as if she were annoyed with herself just for having those thoughts. She was cutting those potatoes so forcefully that Javert feared she could arm herself. It was strange to see the sweet and usually gleeful Cosette in such a state, but Javert could understand her feelings.

He felt like that every day. Every time Jean would confirm once again his interest to spend the rest of their days together it was still a surprise for him and he was just waiting for the day Jean was going to wake up, understand the terrible mistake he was making and leave him. He wouldn’t even be mad at him, he would completely understand. What had Javert to offer him anyway?

But Cosette, no, Cosette was not in his situation, not at all. She might have felt like that, but there was no way he was going not to tell her how wrong she was.

“Euphrasie, let me tell you this: we don’t know each other a lot, but in the little time we spent together, I had the chance to know an incredible, sweet, resourceful, intelligent and funny young woman who had, if I remember correctly, to overcome some real difficulties of her own and did that bravely. I doubt that Marius of yours will ever think you are boring or undeserving of all his affection.”

“Javert, that was so nice. I don’t know what to say. Thank you,” she replayed her voice a little breathy like she was trying to hold back tears, but before Javert could say anything else, her phone rang and, on the display, appeared the word Papa in bright white letters.

“Hi, Papa! How are you? I’m in the kitchen with Javert, I’m putting you on speaker right now,” she answered her expression turning bright again hearing the voice of her father.

“Hi dear, I’m happy you’re having fun together, but I have bad news: my flight has been cancelled and I won’t be able to be home in time for tonight dinner, I’m so sorry.”

Cosette and Javert exchanged a sad look. A moment of complicity which would have made both of them really satisfied with how their relationship had evolved if they hadn’t been so distracted by the sad news.

“Don’t worry, Papa. We’ll have fun on our own tonight. The important part is that you can make it for Christmas Lunch tomorrow,” Cosette said recovering first from the news and putting her smile back on, even if her father could not see her at the moment.

“Of course, I’ll be there tomorrow. It’s just a minor setback.”

“We’re just sad that you’ll have to spend Christmas Eve on your own,” Javert added trying to sound more clam possible. He was not going to let Jean feel guilty over something he could not control just because he missed him.

“Don’t think about that, just don’t have too much fun without me. I’ll send you updates later. I miss you two very much.”

“We miss you too, Papa,” Cosette said and when Javert gave his goodbye ended the phone call.

They finished making dinner in silence after that, the both of them lost in their own thoughts.

 

25th December

“C’mon! Of course, your father is going to be home in time for the Lunch. It was just a plane delay, it happens quite often,” Eponine said reassuringly at the other end of the line. In the background, Cosette could hear Gavroche and Azelma happily discussing their presents, it seemed that Eponine was nailing the holidays so far.

“I know, you’re right, but it’s the first time I spend Christmas morning without Papa and I really miss him. Javert misses him too, he’s got this said expression since yesterday. He really seems like a kicked puppy.”

“So, yours and Marius’ expression before you got together.”

“Oh, hush you!”

Eponine laughed amused which was nice really, Eponine ought to laugh more often.

“Don’t worry, Cosette. Today will be a great day, you’ll see. See you later.”

“See you later Ponine, send my best wishes to your siblings and happy Christmas again.”

 

 

_“_ _Hi! This is Jean Valjean’s voice mail, if I’m not answering is because I’m either working or helping my daughter, but I’ll call you back the sooner I’ll be able to. In the meantime, leave a message after the beeping sound. Have a good day.”_

“Hi Jean, Merry Christmas! I’m guessing you can’t answer because you’re already on the plane. I was just calling to making sure everything was all right. Here we’re fine, we’re waiting for you for opening the presents though. Cosette has been at the phone all morning answering to her friends wishing her happy Christmas, she’s so loved, well, she took after you. We both miss you. Call us when you land.”

 

_“You’ve reached Inspector Javert’s voice mail. Leave a message after the acoustic signal.”_

“Good morning, dear, happy Christmas to you too. I just got out of the airport, I’ll be at home in a couple hours. I’m guessing Cosette already dragged you into the preparations of the Lunch. I can’t wait to see you two and I have a surprise. See you soon. Love you.”

 

“He said he has a surprise? I’m so curious now!” Cosette commented while changing the positions of the plates on the table for the ninth time in the last fifteen minutes.

“Have you some idea of what it might be?”

Cosette shook her head.

“Not at all, but Papa’s really good with surprises. It’ll be great, I know.”

At that moment the doorbell rang. Javert’s eyes immediately darted towards the entrance door full of hope, but Cosette probably sensing his feelings noted it was too early for her father to already been home.

“Probably they are Ponine with Gavroche and Zelma, I’ll go,” she said finally leaving the table.

“Merry Christmas, my angel.”

Javert could have recognised that voice in a crowd of thousands.

“Papa! You’re home early!” Exclaimed Cosette surprised.

“The cab you took to come here was driven by a madman, but I’m happy to be finally home,” he explained.

Javert reached them at the entrance: father and daughter were hugging tightly and there was a blissful expression on Jean’s face. Javert felt like intruding on a private family moment.

“And here’s my surprise,” Jean added after the two of them separated. He stepped aside to reveal a woman who must have had a couple of years more than him, with short grey hair and the wrinkles of someone who had to overcome quite some difficult over the years, but still kind and smiling.

“Is this my aunt?” Cosette asked so full of joy it almost seemed it could spill out of her at every moment.

“Yes, sweetie, I am,” the woman replayed returning the happy smile. Cosette seemed hesitant for a second but then throw her arms around the woman’s neck and hugged her tightly.

Javert smiled at the exchange, but then his eyes travelled to Jean and he noticed his partner was watching him with something like longing in his eyes. They both took a step forward at the same time.

When they reached each other, they took a quick look at the two women who were still deep in conversation near the threshold, and then Jean lips were on Javert’s and that was the only thing he could think about.

“I’ve really missed you,” Javert whispered against Jean’s mouth when they finally separated.

“I’m so sorry. I was away for so long, I’ve been a terrible boyfriend.”

Javert rolled his eyes.

“Marius is Euphrasie’s boyfriend. We’re are too old to use that word,” he complained eliciting an amused laugh from Jean, oh, he had missed those too quite a lot.

“I’ve definitely missed this nonsense of yours,” Jean commented giving him one quick peck on the mouth.

“Well, brother, won’t you introduce me to this dashing gentleman?” Jean’s sister asked nearing them. Jean’s smile, if possible, grew even larger and he nodded.

“Of course, of course. Nothing would make me happier.”

“Why don’t we all go to the living room? I’ll prepare something to munch while we wait for the others to arrive,” Cosette proposed excitedly with a foot already in the kitchen. Jean led his sister in the living room.

Javert remained behind for a moment.

He looked at the table prepared for the Christmas Lunch, the Christmas tree he and Cosette had decorated together, the fireplace warming the room. Cosette was humming happily in the kitchen. Jean met his eyes and smiled lovingly at him.

This is how it feels to be happy, he thought.


End file.
